Life on the Run by Sergey Maidukov is a visceral and heartwarming account his family's experiences as Ukrainians during the violent Russian insurrection. Prior to the war, Mr. Maidukov wrote books in Ukrainian. Armed with an English dictionary, Mr. Maidukov documents his story in English to ensure that his memoir is not diluted by translation. He has achieved native level fluency in written English in this well written memoir which is not an easy task for an individual who is nearly 70 years old.

Mr. Maidukov weaves in the historical context of the Russian-Ukrainian relationship starting with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 through the current situation in 2023. I have been following the situation for several years and it was very enlightening to hear the perspective of someone living through this crisis. Originally from the Donetsk region, Mr. Maidukov moved to Kiev in 2014 leaving behind his parents who aligned with the Russians. As the attack on Kiev is initiated in early 2022, Mr. Maidukov evacuates with his wife, daughter and 3-year-old granddaughter. Mr. Maidukov's son and son in law were required to stay in Ukraine because of the restriction on departure from the country of men between 18 and 60.

Throughout the book, Mr. Maidukov shepherds his wife, daughter, and granddaughter from city to city to protect the health and safety of his family. His relationships with his wife, daughter and especially his granddaughter are marvelously touching. In the face of catastrophic war circumstances, Mr. Maidukov's love and devotion to his family are uplifting.

I highly recommend this book both to learn about the war in Ukraine and to experience a family with beautiful relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield for an advanced reader copy of this manuscript in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to buying a copy for my family when this book is published in March 2024.